Rhinosporidiosis

RHINOSPORIDIOSIS:

• It is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi and affects both man and animals.
• Rhinosporidiosis was previously considered to be a fungus, is classified as a fungal disease, It is now considered to be a protist, classified under Mesomycetozoea. 

CLINICAL FEATURES:

• The disease mostly affects nose and nasopharynx; other sites such as lip, palate, conjunctiva, epiglottis, larynx, trachea, bronchi, skin, vulva and vagina may also be affected.
• The disease is acquired through contaminated water of ponds also frequented by animals.
• In the nose, the disease presents as a leafy, polypoidal mass, pink to purple in colour and attached to the nasal septum or lateral wall.
• Sometimes, it extends into the nasopharynx and may hang behind the soft palate.
• The mass is very vascular and bleeds easily on touch.
• Its surface is studded with white dots representing the sporangia of fungus.

Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic granulomatous infection caused by the hydrophilic agent Rhinosporidium seeberi.

Although traditionally regarded as a fungus, it is now considered a protistan parasite belonging to the class Mesomycetozoea.

• This organism was previously considered to be a fungus, and rhinosporidiosis is classified as a fungal disease under ICD-10. It is now considered to be a protistclassified under Mesomycetozoea.
• Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic granulomatous infection of the mucous membranes that usually manifests as vascular friable polyps that arise from the nasal mucosa.
• The etiologic agent of rhinosporidiosis, R seeberi.
• Rhinosporidium seeberi is an aquatic bacterium (not a fungus).
• Rhinosporidiosis is treated with surgical excision.

Ans. B Excision with cautery at base 

• Rhinosporidiosis was previously considered to be a fungus, is classified as a fungal disease. It is now considered to be a protist, classified under Mesomycetozoea. 
• Agent: Rhinosporidium seeoeri
• Source: Contaminated water of ponds,”
• Presents as: Leafy polypoidal mass,” pink to purple studded with while dots (Strawberry appearance).
• It is highly vascular and bleeds on touch.
• Patients complain of blood-tinged nasal discharge epistaxis
• Diagnosis is made by biopsy
• Biopsy shows several sporangia filled with spores.

Treatment – Complete excision of the mass with diathermy knife and cauterization of its base.

Recurrence is common after surgery.

• Rhinosporidiosis is a disease caused by the organism Rhinosporidium seeberi, which was once thought to be a fungus but is now believed to be a rare aquatic protistan parasite of fish.
• First described in 1900 by Guillermo Seeber, it generally presents as swollen, pink or red polyps in the nasal cavity or the ocular conjunctivae. Other sites of infection are rare.

Rhinosporidiosis presents as soft leafy polypoidal mass.